Nothing Gold Can Stay
by Foxgirl12
Summary: A short story that's pretty much sad, but I had the idea swirling around in my head. The title came from the poem by Robert Frost, which is included in the story. Summary sucks, I know, but the story's better, I promise! R&R, please!


Foxgirl12: Hola, amigos! This is just a short fic called "Nothing Gold Can Stay". Yes, the title is based off of Robert Frost's poem. It's rather tragic, but I got the idea while reading The Outsiders for my Reading final in school. Disclaimer's short. I don't own Team Sonic, Team Dark, Team Rose, Team Chaotix, Mighty, Eggman, or Gamma. They copyright to Sega. Sally, Bunnie, Rotor, Antoine, Dulcy, and Dr. Quack copyright to Archie Comics. The poem "Nothing Gold Can Stay" copyrights to Robert Frost. One of the exclamations that Sonic says copyrights to S.E. Hinton for her book The Outsiders. I'll put an author's note for that sentence. Okay, I'll get it started.

Nothing Gold Can Stay

Sonic walked over to Tails's workshop and was about to knock when he suddenly thought, _"A lot of good that'll do; Tails won't answer ever again". _

Sonic let himself in and walked up to Tails's bedroom. He looked at the little body on the bed and felt tears coming. He allowed himself to flashback yet again to that terrible night just two days ago. The day that changed his life forever.

FLASHBACK

Everybody was gathered at Eggman's new base, the Egg Manor. He had built Gamma into a terrifying monster, and he was so bad even the Freedom Fighters had to come join the fray. A new obstacle was in place as well; Eggman's machines were malfunctioning, firing bullets everywhere. Team Rose was serving as a distraction so Team Chaotix could sneak in and shut down the base. Teams Sonic and Dark, along with the Freedom Fighters, were readying for battle as soon as Team Chaotix came back. Mighty gave the all-clear signal just as Gamma realized Team Rose was a mere distraction.

"You poor, pitiful fools! You thought your little distraction would hoax me? Never! I will now destroy you all!" he thundered. "I'd love to see you actually gain anything in a battle!" Sally retorted curtly. "All in good time, Princess. All in good time," said Gamma. "All in good time translates to perhaps next time, which means you're on the verge of admitting defeat!" said Shadow. "You'll never beat us!" declared Cream. "Enough chattering! I'll now begin with executions," said Gamma.

The battle raged for hours, and the victory looked like it was going in favor of our heroes. Sally moved towards the Data Base to install a virus in the main computer, but Gamma spotted her and took aim. Tails quickly pushed her away and managed to get away himself. "Stupid little fox! You'll pay for that!" roared Gamma.

"Over my dead body!" Tails shot back. Gamma smiled. "That can be arranged, my high-flying nemesis, easily arranged," said Gamma. "Never will that be arranged!" Sonic bellowed in protection.

"Sugah, don't get so worked up. Tails'll be alrigh', Ah know it!" said Bunnie optimistically. "You're right, Bun. I'll cool it," said Sonic. The fight continued for a while more. Finally, Gamma was destroyed and Eggman fled. Sally was about to go install the virus, but Vector stopped her. "Forget th' virus, your Highness. Da base'll be gone before you get a chance to fix that thing!" he explained. "Good thinking, Vector!" said Sally.

"Sonique, we must be leaving now. We need to get to ze village and look at the plans we found. We'll keep ze communicators on een case you need us," said Antoine, turning to leave. "See ya later then, Ant!" said Sonic and Shadow simultaneously. Then, Team Rose headed for home, followed by Teams Chaotix and Dark. Team Sonic took another look at the motionless Gamma.

"Do ya think we outta take this scrape metal back for Rotor to check over?" asked Knuckles. "Yeah, we probably should. Let's each take a piece," said Sonic. As these words left Sonic's mouth, another whizzing bullet shot through the air and hit Tails. He screamed out in pain and collapsed. "TAILS!" Sonic yelled. He went to get him when another bullet passed by and hit Tails again, this time through the head. Sonic scooped Tails into his arms and shook him gently. "Tails, please stay awake!" he implored. Tails opened his eyes half-way. "Hang in there, lil bro! We'll get you home, and you'll heal!" Sonic coaxed. Tails began saying to Sonic, "S-Sonic, I'm slipping away. Do you remember the p-poem, _Nature's first green is gold, her hardest hue to hold. Her early leaf's a flower, but only so an hour. Then leaf subsides to leaf, so Eden sank to grief. So dawn goes down to day, nothing gold can stay_? Well, neither can I. G-go on without me. Sonic, I see M-mom and Dad! I'm going h-home. Good-bye, Sonic the Hedgehog. I love you…" With these words, Tails's eyes shut and he died in Sonic's arms.

"TAILS! No, why did it have to be Tails! We could get along without anybody except Tails! (A/N: This statement is from The Outsiders. Two-Bit and Ponyboy both use this in reference to losing Johnny.) Knuckles, who had observed the entire thing, slammed his fist into the wall. "Tails…" he murmured mournfully. Sonic's communicator lit up, and Sally's voice asked, "Sonic, what's going on down there!" Sonic just sobbed into Tails's lifeless chest, trying not to go completely insane. Knuckles paged Sally on his communicator and said, "Sal, Tails has been shot. He just died in Sonic's arms." Sally was numb with shock and grief. She was also startled by the sobs Knuckles was choking back. "Come home now, please," said Sally tearfully. Knuckles went back to Sonic and said, "Sally wants us back. We'll get to work on a casket for Tails after everyone's gotten word of his death and seen him. We'll have a funeral for him, a heroes' funeral." Sonic cradled the little body in his arms closer and followed Knuckles back to Knothole.

Everyone was devastated by Tails's death. Life came to a sudden halt. They got a beautiful casket for Tails and paid their deepest respects to their fallen friend, who died an innocent child. Cream and Charmy were deeply affected, because Tails was their very best friend, and he was only their age when he died. What would life be like without Tails?

END FLASHBACK

Sonic came out of his reverie and sat on the edge of Tails's bed. He took his body in his arms and spent the rest of the day and all that night just holding Tails. Tomorrow was his funeral, and Sonic wanted to hold on to his little brother as long as he could. "I love you too, Tails…" Sonic whispered in response to Tails's declaration, and with that fell asleep.

Foxgirl12: crying her frickin' eyes out Oh, that was too sad, even for me. Well, there you have it. Please R&R! 


End file.
